This photo gallery shows Mr Arisman escaping police arrest by climbing down the rope. (Photos by Kosol Nakachol and Apichit Jinakul)
Published: 16/04/2010
Bangkok Post
Police and the government were left with red faces this morning when a commando raid to arrest a group of hard-core red-shirt leaders staying at a Bangkok hotel failed miserably.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban went on the television about 10am to announce the raid on the SC Park Hotel - where red-shirt protest leaders Arisman Pongruang, Suporn Atthawong alias Isan Rambo, Pramual Chuklom alias Jiew Dokchik and Payap Pankate, have been hiding out.
These leaders are among the 24 wanted on arrest warrants in connection with the violent protests.
"As I am speaking, special forces are surrounding the SC Park Hotel where we believe the terrorists and their leaders are staying," Mr Suthep said.
"We will arrest and suppress the terrorists. We have set up special task forces to hunt down the terrorists," he said.
Unfortunately, the police bungled the raid. The wanted men got wind of the operation and alerted their supporters, who rushed to the hotel. Red-shirt guards reportedly opened fire at the police as they resisted arrest.
Mr Arisman was seen on TV makingan ungainly escape, sliding down a rope from a room on the third floor of the hotel to a truck parked beneath and into the waiting arms of red-shirt supporters, who whisked him away.
The other four leaders also made good their escape, escorted away by protesters as police stood idly by, unable to take any action.
All the red-shirt leaders taking refuge at SC Park Hotel were later escorted to the main protest site at Ratchaprasong by their comrades.
The hotel is believed to be owned by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the icon of the anti-government protest movement.
It was reported that four police officers, including the deputy commissioner of metropolitan police who supervised the bungled raid, were held captive by the red-shirts.
Police searches of the hotel rooms uncovered six hand grenades in a room earlier occupied by Mr Arisman, according to a police report.
Aout 11.30am, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn told reporters that the operation to arrest the red-shirt leaders was "unsuccessful".
The failed raid prompted the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, which has been leading the red-shirt protest from the beginning, to cancel its plan to “visit” all TV stations today to demand a fair allocation of air time for the broadcast of their side of the story regarding the bloody April 10 clashes between troops and protesters.
In the nationally televised address, Mr Suthep also urged "innocent" protesters to leave the anti-government rally site in Ratchaprasong commercial district, suggesting authorities would go there to make further arrests.
"Innocent people should leave the protests because the authorities have to take decisive measures against terrorists," he said.
Red-shirt protesters mobilised to the hotel after they learned about the raid.
"Innocent people should leave the protests because the authorities have to take decisive measures against terrorists," he said.
Mr Suthep said that security forces had also been deployed to safeguard television stations in the capital.
After the raid, red-shirt leaders at the Ratchaprasong area have cancelled their plan to "visit" state-owned televisions to demand balanced news reporting.
Police and the government were left with red faces this morning when a commando raid to arrest a group of hard-core red-shirt leaders staying at a Bangkok hotel failed miserably.
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban went on the television about 10am to announce the raid on the SC Park Hotel - where red-shirt protest leaders Arisman Pongruang, Suporn Atthawong alias Isan Rambo, Pramual Chuklom alias Jiew Dokchik and Payap Pankate, have been hiding out.
These leaders are among the 24 wanted on arrest warrants in connection with the violent protests.
"As I am speaking, special forces are surrounding the SC Park Hotel where we believe the terrorists and their leaders are staying," Mr Suthep said.
"We will arrest and suppress the terrorists. We have set up special task forces to hunt down the terrorists," he said.
Unfortunately, the police bungled the raid. The wanted men got wind of the operation and alerted their supporters, who rushed to the hotel. Red-shirt guards reportedly opened fire at the police as they resisted arrest.
Mr Arisman was seen on TV makingan ungainly escape, sliding down a rope from a room on the third floor of the hotel to a truck parked beneath and into the waiting arms of red-shirt supporters, who whisked him away.
The other four leaders also made good their escape, escorted away by protesters as police stood idly by, unable to take any action.
All the red-shirt leaders taking refuge at SC Park Hotel were later escorted to the main protest site at Ratchaprasong by their comrades.
The hotel is believed to be owned by fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the icon of the anti-government protest movement.
It was reported that four police officers, including the deputy commissioner of metropolitan police who supervised the bungled raid, were held captive by the red-shirts.
Police searches of the hotel rooms uncovered six hand grenades in a room earlier occupied by Mr Arisman, according to a police report.
Aout 11.30am, government spokesman Panitan Wattanayakorn told reporters that the operation to arrest the red-shirt leaders was "unsuccessful".
The failed raid prompted the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, which has been leading the red-shirt protest from the beginning, to cancel its plan to “visit” all TV stations today to demand a fair allocation of air time for the broadcast of their side of the story regarding the bloody April 10 clashes between troops and protesters.
In the nationally televised address, Mr Suthep also urged "innocent" protesters to leave the anti-government rally site in Ratchaprasong commercial district, suggesting authorities would go there to make further arrests.
"Innocent people should leave the protests because the authorities have to take decisive measures against terrorists," he said.
Red-shirt protesters mobilised to the hotel after they learned about the raid.
"Innocent people should leave the protests because the authorities have to take decisive measures against terrorists," he said.
Mr Suthep said that security forces had also been deployed to safeguard television stations in the capital.
After the raid, red-shirt leaders at the Ratchaprasong area have cancelled their plan to "visit" state-owned televisions to demand balanced news reporting.
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